Conclusion

The GF 45mm F2.8 R WR is the lightest and most compact G-mount lens released so far, and in conjunction with the GFX 50S camera, it makes medium-format street and documentary photography not only possible, but also very enjoyable.

The linear AF motor makes this lens fast and quiet to focus, although not quite as quick as the GF 23mm f/4 lens. Manual focusing is a veritable pleasure thanks to the massive, well-damped focusing ring and the on-camera focusing aids. Build quality is once again excellent, with a durable brass lens mount, traditional aperture ring and full weather-sealing all being very welcome.

The GF 45mm F2.8 R WR is a tack-sharp lens almost throughout the entire aperture range at both the centre and edges of the image, with some very slight softness apparent when shooting wide-open at f/2.8 and diffraction setting in at f/22. It exhibits almost no chromatic aberrations and is capable of producing some surprisingly nice bokeh despite being a wide-angle lens. Vignetting at f/2.8 is the only other optical issue of note, although stopping down to f/5.6 solves the problem altogether.

If you have any interest in taking the GFX 50S camera out of its natural studio-bound environment and onto the mean city streets, then the new GF 45mm F2.8 R WR lens is its (almost) perfect partner.